First year: A new beginning
by sapph granger
Summary: Lily, James, Sirius, Remus..a few familiar names.
1. Chapter 1

"Stop it! I'm getting so, so sick of that. Petreficus Totalus!" With that and a soft laughter, Lily Evans sat back on the seat and took out a muggle book to read. Little Women, the book title read. Meanwhile, all around her was laughter.

"You deserved it James, fancy calling her names just because she's a muggle. Since when did you start looking down on muggles anyway?" Sirius Black asked James Potter after a long series of uncontrollable laughter.

"Yeah, what makes you think she wouldn't know some nice hex for people who decide to pick on her?" Sarcasm was obvious in what Remus Lupin said.

"Hey! I did NOT pick on her because she was a muggle. Wait, what did I just say! Pick on her? I did not do that! I was but just admiring that lovely length of hair upon her head, that's picking on her!" James Potter's confused reply came. "And will someone get the anti-spell for this hex?"

"BOYS! Quiet please, thank you." When they abide in fear of more hexes, and a squeak escaped from the mouth of Peter Pettigrew, a tag-along.

"First years, over here!" A small but stern looking man shouted over. The first years that have just arrived swarmed towards him, not one knew what were they suppose to do, what is better than following instructions? Three resonance loud knocks on the magnificently decorated door brought the first-years to a teacher, Minerva Mcgonagall, who looked like the typical discipline mistress one might find in today's muggle schools.

"The sorting will begin in a few moments, wait here patiently till I return to lead you to the Great Hall, meanwhile, please tidy yourselves up." She pointedly looked at James' unruly mope of hair with a glare that spoke volumes of disapproval.

Professor Mcgonagall soon returned and brought them out to the Great Hall amidst the whispers of fear. When they went out to the hall, an old and tattered hat was on a low stool. Most students thought that was that what they needed to fight, and a mix of relief and fear could be heard. They got a shock when the hat ripped open, and started to sing. (Authors note: I am not good at writing poems, so I skipped this part) It turned out all they had to do was to put on that hat and it would sort them into their houses, the sigh of relief was clearly audible.

Mcgonagall started calling out names from a piece of long parchment that has seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Acret, Gwendoline became the first Gryffindor, while Adept, Sollery became the first Ravenclaw. Soon everyone was sorted into his or her respective houses. Lily, James, Sirius and Remus all became Gryffindors while Peter became a Slytherin. James, Sirius and Remus were shocked that Peter went to Slytherin and could not understand why the hat had done so, Peter had none of the cunningness and ambitiousness needed to be in that house. However, they did not really mind for certain and obvious reasons.

After the most amazing feast few had experienced before, they went to their respective towers. Son after the blue lady of the portrait opened up at "igglewig", all went to their dormitories and washed up, all were fast asleep after all the excitement of the day.


	2. Chapter 2

Authors Note: This is the revamped version of chapter 2, ¾ of the marauding four begins here and the 1st prank of the story! R&R please. Thanks.  
Disclaimer: Everything that you recognize in the story belongs to the wonderful author, Joanna Kathleen Rowling.

The beginning:  
  
A week has passed since they were initiated into Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Lessons had fully started, and the professors have all stopped cutting the "babies" of the school some slack as they did when the first-years had just come in. And it was not soon before the students felt that things were just getting a tad boring.

"Jamesy dear, do you not feel that our lessons, as interesting as they are, are just getting a little boring. Is it not payback time? For the time Snape and Malfoy tried to put a hex on our fellow Gryffindor. They failed, certainly, but isn't the thought that counts?" Sirius said with an evil glint in his eyes while patting James' back.

"Of course, my friend, it is time." Catching on quickly, James replied with a glint that equaled Sirius'.

"Oh dear, is this how we're going to end up spending our weekend?" Remus groaned outwardly.

"How else then?" The two replied unanimously.

"Fine then, but then the question arises, muggle or magic?"

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"Dear daddy, how are mummy, Juliet and you doing? Has mummy's cooking improved? I would like to request for some ingredients listed on the attached letter for potions classes. Please send them by the week after next by owl mail. Thanks daddy, I won't let you down.

James"

"Wonderfully written, I'm sure Mr. Potter will be happy with this entrustment." Sirius grinned at James as he attached the letter to his owl, snowstorm. The owl gave him an affectionate nip on the finger before she took off. James turned and gave Sirius and Remus a bigger grin.

"Let's wait then."

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On the morning of a Wednesday the next week, snowstorm flew in through the window of the boys' dormitory, dropping a package too big for her size on James' bed, awaking him. Blurry-eyed, he _accioed _a toffee éclair out of his bag for her, mumbled "good job", and went right back to sleep. He distantly heard the flapping of wings in his dreams.

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Three boys could be seen gobbling down their food during lunchtime on that day, making one wonder when the last time they ate was. In just five minutes, the three was seen trying to run inconspicuously out of the Great Hall, but failing miserably.

"Igglewig!" James practically shouted in the rush they were in, and they sure were in a rush if they wanted the prank to be done by the double period of potions in 2 hours time. They then ran to the dormitory shared by all the boys of Gryffindor in the first year, straight to James' bed, as Sirius did a levitating spell that his father had taught him, his dad had said that it would come in useful, and it certainly did. There beneath the bed was the package from the morning. As Remus rummaged through the neatly packed items in it, he drew out a packet of rainbow-colored powder. James then cast a spell that they had searched for, the night before, a spell that either speeds up or delays the effect of something, this time, the spell was made to delay the effect by 2 hours.

"Let's hurry down! We don't want to miss the desert." Sirius shouted as he ran down the steps, and winked as he turned to face them for a split second.

"Such enthusiasm, why is it we've never seen it during lessons, especially when the professors ask for volunteers?" Came the ironic answer of Remus to James. A soft chuckle escaped James.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's note: The revelation of the prank. R&R!

"Still remember the way to the kitchens?" Remus asked anxiously as they got out of the common room through the blue lady's portrait. They had found the kitchen by accident during one of the night hikes exploring the school, and found out that the house elves were especially helpful whenever they visited. This proves to be an important factor in the many pranks that are but waiting to be played.

"Of course! How can I forget?" Sirius firm reply returned from affront. "I mean, they serve food there, right?"

"A very good point, 20 points to Gryffindor for pointing that amazing new fact out." A snort could be heard when that was said.

A giggle escaped the pear in the portrait when Sirius gave an impatient tickle to it. The door slid open, and half the population of the house elves swarm towards them, as compared to the usual of all of them swarming up as some were still attending to the lunch the school is having upstairs.

James then made a show of asking the elves for help on a certain family recipe while Remus groaned noisily about missing his desert, causing more house elves to bring food to right under his nose, literally. Sirius then sneaked off quietly, and for once, succeeding, to right under the Slytherins' table, using a spell to locate all the seats of the First-year Slytherins. He then sprinkled a little of the powder into each bowl, making each soup changed through 7 colors before changing back, suppressing laughter with each sprinkle, then ran right back to James, no more of the inconspicuous movement needed, he was bursting with laughter.

Finally, when Remus decided that he had had enough of desert for lunch, he announced loudly that he has had enough, a very big thanks to all the house elves, only met by blushing elves who bowed till their head touched the ground. James then herded Sirius out of the kitchens, the moment the portrait swung shut, Sirius' laughter could be heard miles away.

"Is it that funny?" James could not hold back that question any longer.

"Actually," a long pause followed, as Sirius tried to control his own laughter. "Yah! It is." More laughter continued. Remus made a noise between a chuckle and a sigh, seemingly unable to decide which would be more appropriate, and just decided to do both then.

It was Charms right after lunch. Carrying their books, they shuffled into class, only to be shocked when all the tables and chairs were missing in their usual neat rows, only to be replaced by fluffy pink and blue pillows.

"Oooh, levitating spell today it seems, fascinating." Lily's voice could be heard.

"Was that the levitating spell I heard? I might just best Lily at Charms for once."

"Yeah, you might, but probably not, as long as you have known the spell, Lily's wand specializes in charm work, she picks things up fast, especially Charms, and she probably already knows the spell seeing her reaction just now." Remus was quick to burst Sirius' bubble of hope.

"Won't you even let me have a minute of hope?" He groaned in reply.

"The higher your hope, the lower your fall, it's all for your own good."

"You sure make it sound so nice." Sirius' grumbling reply ended the conversation as Professor Elena (yes, it is her last name) stepped in.

Tall and pretty would sum up how she looks, always wearing pastel colors robes, she sure is popular with the students. She comes across as one who is a little on the happy-go-lucky side, always on the ready to give out house points if the students prove to deserve it, and a little reluctant when it comes to deducting points, rule breakers sure loves her. (.)

(A.N: enough with the description, back to the story)

"Today, we will be doing the levitating spell, as we do have some students who are rather accident-prone," A soft hiccough at this point. "I have arranged for pillows to be used instead, and to students who are able to show me that they have no problem doing the levitating spell, they may try the banishing spell." With this opening, she showed them the way to do the spell, with some fancy wave of hand, and the correct way of pronouncing the spell (levita (insert object name here) pillow).

As good as Sirius was at this spell, he was still a tad slower than Lily to approach Professor Elena to seek permission to practice the banishing spell, thus yet again, proving Remus right. An hour passed by very quickly, yet there still is an hour of transfiguration before the long awaited lesson. The next hour's lesson was to be taken with the Ravenclaw, after the startling introduction to transfiguration by Professor Minerva Mcgonagall, also the discipline mistress of the school. The introduction had included the change of the Professor's table to a beautiful peacock, a promise to show them her animagus as soon as the Ministry of Magic approved it, and a very strict speech on how they will be barred from ever taking transfiguration in Hogwarts if any hanky panky is played in her class.

"Today we'll still be doing minor transfiguration, in fact, we won't be doing any major transfiguration like the one you saw me doing on the first day of lesson until you are of age, a gauge of year 3 would suffice, unless, of course, you prove me wrong by being able by the end of year 2. A chicken feather is placed on each of your tables; you are to transfigure that into a peacock feather, students who are able to complete that before the end of lesson may start on your homework for today, only if your feather pleases me. You may start."

"More fancy wand work, yet not as easy as charms." Lily concluded glumly to Calin, her best friend, who chuckled at that statement. Unlike Lily, she was better at Transfiguration than Charms, in fact, only second to James, who had not just transfigured the feather, but decorated it as well, earning 20 points to Gryffindor from a very pleased Professor Mcgonagall.

The long awaited hour has finally arrived! Sirius gave a loud whoop when the bell rang signifying the end on the lesson.

"Is my lesson that undesirable, Mr. Black?" Professor Mcgonagall gave Sirius a bleak look as she asked.

"No ma'am, certainly not, but I wish to learn how to brew fame and stopper death." Sirius' reply stunned Professor Mcgonagall and caused many to laugh at the statement when they realized that it had come from the opening speech of Professor Bimp, the potions mistress.

"Go then, my next class is waiting outside, go and learn how to brew fame and stopper death." The class laughed uproariously at this statement, and shuffled out of the class.

As the Gryffindors walked into the solemn dungeons where their potions lesson was to be held, an eager smile could be seen plastered upon Sirius' face, while James looked as solemn as he could be, though a little forced. Lily saw through all that and whispered to Calin.

"They're up to no good. Look at their faces, there're "mischief" written all over them." A smile then lit up Calin's face, making her look very pretty.

"Lovely, lessons have been too boring for any effective learning."

Five minutes into the lesson, right before they lit up the fire to boil their potions in, the Slytherins started falling out of their chairs, all seemingly torn between laughing and crying. Cauldrons were falling over as the Slytherins kicked them by accident and soon, the room was in chaos. "It hurts too much to laugh," that was what they would have replied if you asked them about it, and they meant it literally. The powder that was in their desert was taking effect, right on time.

Professor Bimp saw that there was no way that the lesson could go on, but instead sent the Slytherins to the hospital wing but not before deducting points from her own house as she saw it as it being an excuse to get out of class. She then sent the Gryffindors back to their common rooms, releasing them early.

Once out of the class, Sirius, James and Remus exploded with laughter, it was too much for even Remus to hold back any longer. A smirk played across Calin's face, while Lily settled for a knowing smile. Even that was too much for the three boys, they knew one thing, they knew.

"How could they know? Haven't we been subtle enough?" Sirius burst when they were out onto the outside grounds of Hogwarts.

"We have, just not you." Came Remus amused reply.

"Yeah, anything." Sirius was too happy to care.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note: Reviewed chapter 4, the power of Lily.

The taste of victory soon wore off, and as much as they tried to prolong it, it did not last. Very soon, things at Hogwarts were getting boring once again, but what they did not know was that "fun" would manifest itself in a different way.

"Hey, heard of it yet?" Gwendoline hit Sirius' back in the Great Hall, causing Sirius, who had just taken a mouthful of pumpkin juice to sputter everything out in the most unseemly way. Sirius then picked up a napkin to wipe the pumpkin juice off in a vain attempt to regain some form of composure while James, who had witness the whole scene with amused eyes, then asked, "Heard about?"

"Oh, you haven't? I would have expected you to have known, you of all people." Her voice lowered into a mumble. "Never mind then, you will see it anyway." She then said in that crystal clear voice of hers, meeting annoyed looks of James and Sirius'. "Where's Remus?" She asked when she noticed that the usual quiet boy was even more silent, not being in his usual seat, right next to the two of them at all.

"Last I heard, he went to visit his ailing mother." James replied casually.

"Mmm, gwot gis ghapponing gator? (Yeah, what is happening later?" With his mouth stuffed with food, all that sounded like, was a disgruntled grunt.

"Gwen! We need to get our stuff for Trans!" Came a shout that was from the other end of the hall.

"Coming!" She shouted in reply, turned to the two and bided them goodbye, then gave them a wink and a knowing look that infuriated them.

"Why does she know something that WE don't?" James voiced out the thought that both shared.

"Well, we can wait to find out or." Sirius gave his what will be later known be as his infamous evil glint.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" James replied with an evil glint of his own, catching up very quickly.

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"Hey! Tenire, right? The twin brother of, uh, Sollery?" Sirius asked as he grabbed the first first-year Gryffindor that walked past.

"Uh, yes." Fear could be heard, and seen as he tries to put distance between Sirius and himself as much as possible, though limited by Sirius' hand on his robes.

"I'm not going to eat you, don't worry, you're too skinny anyway." Sirius started reassuring him, though could not but helped, teased him a little.

"All I want to do though is to ask a question. What exactly is happening later?"

"What? You don't know? You're kidding me." Fear seeped away with the realization.

"Why the hell would I be asking if I knew? Would you please not point out the obvious?" Sirius' irritated reply was accompanied by a menacing look.

"Oh, but if you don't know, it means you are not supposed to know until it happens!"

"Oh, really?" Sirius' face contorted into fury.

"Uh, uh, uh, yah. We're under an oath of silence." Fear was once again upon his face. (Sirius is scary.-.-'')

"Let him go, lessons starting soon, he needs to get his books, and so do we." James then casually said to Sirius, he could not bear to see the boy who was though the same age as Sirius, was of a smaller size, and it seemed as if he was being terrorized.

"Okay, one last question, when is it going to happen?" Sirius answered James and returned his attention to Tenire.

"Potions, of course." Calmness had settled in when he realized that he was not in any immediate danger from the bigger boy.

Sirius then let go of the boy, who ran off immediately in the direction of the common room that they later followed. They took their time to get their things for the next lesson of the day, Transfiguration, until James who looked at his watch, said that they were going to be late.

(A short introduction on the watch) It is not of the same as the usual Magic watch that tells of where the family members, friends, etc. are as custom-made, but instead, tells of where the owner should be at the specific time. It was a birthday gift from his father, along with the (well-known) invisibility cloak from his mother. That was on his eleventh birthday, the day that he had received his letter from Hogwarts, the joy he experienced then was beyond description.

After dumping their books and homework (two feet long parchment on history of transfiguration, Mcgonagall had said it was the foundation to learning transfiguration, and unless it was well done, the student will be excused to do the practical things in class, and to stay for detention with her after school) into their bags which have been cast with the spell of auto- tidy. It rearranges the books and parchments in the order of lessons that were on today. They ran off to the class of transfiguration, professor Mcgonagall is known to not take kindly to late students, even if by just a minute.

"Phew! Just in time." James let out a sigh of relief when they had reached the classroom before Mcgonagall arrived.

"James Potter. You are late." Professor Mcgonagall's voice rang out in the silence of the classroom.

James turned around in shock, where was she? Ah, there. Where did she come from! Oh no! Not from that door at that corner. Detention it shall be.

"Seeing that it's your first offence, and that you are but late by just one minute, I'll let you off with just deducting five points from Gryffindor. Yes, Mister Potter, from my own house." Mcgonagall had said it all with a stern face that said she meant business, however, her words hid some gentleness.

"She's bias! Just because he's her best student." Mumbles could be heard going round the class, and Mcgonagall heard it.

"If any of you have a problem with what I've just said, please come right up to the front of the class and demonstrate the transfiguration of the needle into a beetle." The class shushed at these words, most did not know how to, and those that knew, could not be bothered.

"So, if you do not have a problem with it, may I proceed with the lesson?" She then explained the correct way to pronounce the incantation, and the fancy wand work, as Lily puts it.

"There!" The beetle was crawling from James' table to Sirius' table.

"Well done, Mister Potter. 10 points for efficiency and excellence." Mcgonagall's attention was drawn towards James Potter's table when he exclaimed. With that, James earned five points for Gryffindor in total during Transfiguration, after the deduction, then the addition of points, and the lesson ended.

It was Potions right after transfiguration (they have a knack of putting Potions right after Trans, no idea why.), and as they get seated down in the dungeons, James and Sirius were on their toes, figuratively, on the look out for any possible happenings. Soon, James poked Sirius on his back, and then diverted his attention towards the entrance of the dungeons, where the Slytherins were sitting as they had arrived later. Objects of similar shape and color of dung bomb were rolling in from the entrance, all inconspicuous and all.

"Those are not dung bombs. They are dung bombs look-alike!" Sirius exclaimed suddenly, earning glares from fellow Gryffindors who knew what was going to happen next.

Suddenly, the dung bombs look-alike exploded, in a silent and unostentatious way, only visible to people who are looking out for them, namely, the Gryffindors. Professor Bimp entered the class at this point, glaring at the Slytherins mercilessly, she remembered yesterday, and had news from Madam Plaus, current nurse of the hospital wing.

"I could not find anything wrong with your students, and thus couldn't do anything to help them. My apologies." She had said curtly, never being on good terms with Professor Bimp, having been mildly afraid of the potion-brewing skill that Professor Bimp possesses.

She still fumed at this thought, nothing wrong, yet they caused her to end class before she had even started, her own house's students at that. She swore silently to teach them what it was like to mess around with her.

Yet before she could do anything, the Slytherins started complaining of a foul smell erupting, but the Gryffindors then request for the continuation of lesson, and that the Slytherins were disrupting the lesson. Shouts that suggested chasing the Slytherins out of the class, deducting points and such were heard, seemed to prove their thirst for knowledge. Professor Bimp was rather tempted to accept such suggestions, though she privately thought that as much as those suggestions were good, they were rather harsh.

Finally, she settled on, once again releasing the students early, and deducting points harshly from Slytherin, causing the Slytherins to groan and then choked due to the mephitic fumes. Professor Bimp gave an inward groan.

Gryffindors once again get released early, thanks to the ingenuity of... (A.N: Not telling! P)


	5. Chapter 5

Author's note: Here is chapter 5, almost 2 yrs after chapter 4. SORRY! R&R please.

"Hey! That was a really good one. Would they still look down on muggle-born now!" Gwen gave Lily a hi-5. "Those were magically improvised muggle jokes right?"

"Yeah, I had my brother send them to me through owl mail. He had so much fun with the owl, appears that he hasn't quite gotten used to tamed owls." Gwen chuckled at that.

As they walked off to an early break with Calin, James and Sirius emerged from the dungeons. Sirius looked furious, feeling that Lily had stolen all the joy from their last joke while James looked bemusedly after their backs.

"Looks like we've gotten some interesting partners." James commented softly.

"WHAT PARTNERS!" Sirius exploded on the hallway to common room.

"Chill! There's no need to get so agitated over that. We got an early break after all, didn't we? I think you're just overreacting because it wasn't planned and carried out by us."

Sirius sputtered at those words, preparing to make another loud and long statement when Nearly-Headless-Nick came by and told them to get to the hall as soon as possible.

Wondering what was wrong, the pair hurried off, taking all possible shortcuts, arriving in record time. There were many students already, though only Mcgonagall was at the teacher's table.

"Professor Dumbledore had made a stern reminder at the start of the year, barely a month had passed, and it seems like everyone had forgotten about it." This started a buzzing the hall. "A Slytherin had apparently been dared to break a branch off the Whipping Willow. Without my saying, it is an awfully dangerous act to do, very childish of those who dared him to do so too. The Whipping Willow does not recognize people, and will attack all that goes near it; there is no mercy in it. The student is currently at the hospital wing and will be there for at least a week according to Madam Plaus. He suffered a series of cuts and fractures; these are minor in the face of what that tree can cause. If any of you still have any wish to better the tree in a duel, please be prepared to serve detention for 3 months. Thank you, you may go." She ended her speech sternly, as she cast the spell to stop the recording that is to be played during the breaks of other classes. The buzzing of the students grew even louder after her speech, discussing who was injured and so.

James and Sirius tucked in to the food on the tables without speaking, having no interest in the mishap befallen on the Slytherins. As threads of whispers reached their ears, there were a few of interest, such as the absence of Remus from the day, whether they made a mistake in the identity of the boy injured. Both James and Sirius choked on that comment.

"Ridiculous! How could they have confused that idiotic Slytherin with our darling Remus?" Sirius spoke out loud, silencing the people who were questioning that.

"Exactly, if it was Remus that was dared, he wouldn't even have gotten a scratch." James backed up Sirius, thinking how insulting it is for Remus who is visiting his ailed mother.

Mcgonagall smiled at hearing the support the pair had for their friend, noticing how they had shut everyone who had questioned the identity. They will go far, if they remain as close as they are now. She thought to herself. She saw the pair exit quietly after all the racket they had created in the Hall.

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"Let's make a welcome-back gift for Remus, shall we?" James asked Sirius on their way back to the common room.

"Absolutely, but isn't this too soon after…" He blanched at the thought of Lily's joke. "Go ahead. Let's plan something bigger this time, show her who the kings in prank world are." He said with his glint.

"Something big? Let's take our time then, we can even include Remus in the joy of planning the later stages of the prank, let's go with a big bang this time. Literally." James replied as they proceeded to the dormitories to rummage through that big package, the joy of Mr. Potter.

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The days passed peacefully enough, with minor on-the-spot pranks played all over the school, and potions classes have finally started, to the relief of Professor Bimp.

As the Gryffindors and Slytherins settled into the halves the dungeons had split into, Professor Bimp kept a close look out for any signs for disruption from the Slytherins, getting tired of not getting to teach. She started off by firing questions on the prominent ingredients in potion making, and on the uses of ancient potions. To her amazement, one person could answer all her questions correctly. As Gryffindors murmured about how the answers have to be regurgitated from the textbooks, Professor Bimp knew that these answers are a sign of much reading and experimenting.

"The process of making the Draught of Living Death can be quickened by adding a clockwise stir after 7 anti-clockwise stirs." Severus Snape continued on his answers confidently.

"Is that right? Worth trying one of these days, but how did you know? Draught of Living Death is an advance potion, to be learnt only in 6th year." Professor Bimp exclaimed in shock, thoroughly pleased with Snape's answers previously, she was taken aback at this knowledge. Her interest in potion-brewing was called upon as she heard the tips Snape mentioned.

"Family reasons have caused me to start early in potion making." He answered humbly.

"50 points to Slytherin. Those are the best answers I've heard in my many years of teaching."

The rest of the lessons went by peacefully, the simple potion for changing the color of flowers was relatively easy to make, but with Snape completing it the earliest, earning another 10 points from a very pleased Professor Bimp. The Gryffindors were shocked, that skinny, oily haired boy who was always walking around with obnoxious Lucius Malfoy is the best in potions? Little did they know, that was but the tip of Snape's ability. Being a gifted wizard, he had a promising future in his own way.

Malfoy knew, Snape is not as simple as he appears to be, neither is he truly friends with him. They were a makeshift pair, together only when required, just as how the Slytherins make friends. The cunningness, the ambitiousness drives them to make use of people to achieve their goals. Malfoy knows the power in Snape and he wants to be able to manipulate that when the time is right. Snape does not care about Malfoy one bit, he has no use for him either, he has in own goals that will show when it is time.

Sirius lamented about how Remus was not around to brew the potions, though Remus was not as good as Snape (which Sirius refuse to concur), he would easily be second in the level. On the way to the greenhouse, James pondered about Snape's answers and skills, knowing that there was more to it than appeared. All complaints and thoughts disappeared as they reached greenhouse 6, the safest of the lot, when they saw Madfungus, mushroom-like plants that bites at anything that comes near. They stopped in their tracks, not expecting to see such plants so early into the year, only to be ushered in by Professor Bean, shushing the complaints rising from the group.

"They are all tamed," Shrieks arose from the students who had entered the greenhouse first as they tried to keep out of reach of the Madfungus. "Quiet! Just pat them gently on the head and they'll calm down. They're just excited at having visitors. Right?" She asked them as she did what she said, pet them. The Madfungus she was petting licked her hand.

After everyone settled down, which took a long time, she started on her lesson. They learnt about how to grow these plants, what are the optimum conditions to grow them and a hands-on session on replanting them.

"Homework, at least 15 inches parchment on how to use them and what are their uses. Class dismissed." She said sourly at the end of class as she had to send a few students to the hospital wing due to Madfungus mild bites.

"Those were tamed?" Sirius sputtered as soon as he was out of ear reach. "I swear they tried to bite my finger off!"

"Well they didn't, did they. I see it still dangling from that hand of yours. I vaguely remember a powerful use of the Madfungus I read from a book in the library at home. I can't for my life, remember what it is. It feels important!" James replied irritably. Sensing danger, he quickly said.

"Let's check it out when we do our homework then. Now for dinner!" Running at top speed, he ran right into Calin who was stopped when Professor Elena stopped Lily at the doors.

"Ouch! Giant." That was all Calin could say, flattened by Sirius. James pulled Sirius off her which took some effort.

"I'm sorry, he wasn't looking, totally mesmerized by the prospect of food." James apologized on behalf of Sirius with his most gentlemanly bow. Totally stunned by what James did, she just nodded plainly at him, watching his back as the pair ran in the direction of the Hall.


End file.
